Program Overview

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PhD Engineering and the Built Environment

Overview

LSBU is the top modern university in London for world-leading and internationally excellent research in General Engineering, which includes The Built Environment and Architecture research - Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014.

The wide range of research activities in our School, together with the mix of academic staff, post-doctoral research fellows and visiting professors, allows us to offer a stimulating and diverse environment.

Research themes

Research in the area of engineering and the built environment is carried out by specialist centres. Most academic staff belong to one or more of these and research students can expect to join a small team working on particular problems. Research themes include:

• Efficient and Renewable Energy in Building

Research areas where we are able to offer supervision include:

• Passive low energy design and building physics, climate change impact and adaptation of existing buildings
• Building services, energy efficient and renewable energy technologies
• Refrigeration, air conditioning, heating, cooling, and energy storage technologies
• Electrical building services including lighting, power and control
• Environmental and architectural acoustics
• Life cycle assessment, maintenance and asset management.
• Structural engineering, structural analysis and simulation,
• Transport engineering
• Water systems and management
• Sustainability development
• Urban resilience
• Ageing research in the built and human environments
• Green construction
• Energy and resource efficiency
• Monitoring energy demands
• Energy assessment, measurement and performance of buildings
• Renewable energy in cities, communities and districts
• Disaster resilience

A member of staff, expert in the chosen field, is directly responsible for guiding and supporting your research programme. As a research student you'll become part of our thriving academic community.

A PhD, by definition, is an original contribution to knowledge. A research degree is different from a taught course. Research students are expected to self-direct their learning with support from a supervisory team.

Read more about research in the School of the Built Environment and Architecture.

Part funded PhD studentship.

This PhD research programme studentship is being offered by Dr Haydar Aygun at School of Built Environment and Architecture, London South Bank University Academic staff : LSBU People Finder

PhD research programme title : A low carbon, Artificial Intelligence based engineering system to monitor environmental noise.

Keywords : AI, Noise, Environment, Acoustic-Monitoring, Modelling

Background and rationale:

Currently there are not any time efficient and low carbon acoustic system to monitor adverse changes in the built environment. There is a need for an engineering system to monitor adverse changes in the built environment.

Traditional environmental noise monitoring systems measure sound levels, store the data on internal memory card. Then the data is transferred to computer for analysing environmental noise parameters. They are expensive, time consuming, and contribute to carbon emission, especially for long term measurements. The costs of such a system are prohibitive, especially for developing countries. There is a need for a low cost, time efficient, and low carbon engineering system utilising artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to monitor environmental noise remotely.

Aims:

This PhD programme aims to design, build, and test an intelligent low-cost and low carbon noise monitoring system using green technology. The low carbon system will be capable of monitoring environmental noise for a longer period.

Methods:

There is a growing need (regulation-driven) to monitor airports with a low cost, robust, and simple system. The AI and machine learning algorithms will be mitigating most of the laborious work. The expected research impact will show how such a system could be implemented around a noisy environment such as an airport to monitor environmental noise. An environmental sound monitor will be built and programmed using low-cost commercial electronics such as MEMS microphones, drastically reducing the cost of implementation. The system developed will be tested to international standards for compliance. Another new aspect of this research is that the system will be networked to create a platform. This platform would capture the sound environment and tag sound event spectrograms at the local level through Edge AI classification.

A central server will host the main AI. This will improve the accuracy of the classification through directed learning, without requiring user intervention. This will reduce the laborious nature of tagging unusual sound events which breach planning, construction, or demolition conditions.

Funding:

The funding offered for this programme includes a yearly stipend (£18,622), inside London allowance (£2,040), support, training, and printing costs (£1,620), and the cost of a laptop in the 1st year (£1,000). This funding is per year for three years full time. The successful candidate will need to be enrolled for a January 2024 start.

The selected PhD student should hold a BEng in Mechanical Engineering, MSc in Acoustics, and experience in environmental noise monitoring, acoustic product development, analysing noise data, machine learning, and acoustic noise modelling.

Entry Level Requirements

Applicants for a Research Degree programme at LSBU are usually expected to have at least a 2:1 honours degree from a UK University, or an equivalent qualification. Please also supply two academic references as part of your application. You will also be required to show proof of all of your qualifications. If English is not your first language, you will be required to prove your competency in English, showing an IELTS score of at least 6.5 at postgraduate level. Before an offer is made, you will be invited to an interview with your potential supervisor, in person or by telephone.

Fees

Part-time

• PhD Engineering and the Built Environment (PT) - Year 1
  • UK fee: £3006
  • International fee: £10560
  • AOS/LSBU code: 9029
  • Session code: 1PS00
  • Total course fee:
    • UK: £16270
    • International: £54040

Full-time

• PhD Engineering and the Built Environment (FT) - Year 1
  • UK fee: £5010
  • International fee: £17600
  • AOS/LSBU code: 9009
  • Session code: 1FS00
  • Total course fee:
    • UK: £16270
    • International: £54040

Careers

Employability Service

At LSBU, we want to set you up for a successful career. During your studies – and for two years after you graduate – you’ll have access to our Employability Service, which includes:

• Free employability workshop and events for student all year round, more details can be found on our event section.
• Online board where you can see a wide range of placements: part-time, full-time or voluntary. You can also drop in to see our Job Shop advisers, who are always available to help you take the next step in your search.
• LSBU Careers Hub offering group workshops on CVs, interview techniques and support, guidance on future careers, as well as loads of career resources, connecting you with employers, exciting events, 1-1 support and relevant workshops.

Our Student Enterprise team can also help you start your own business and develop valuable entrepreneurial skills.

Research skills development

All research students are required to participate in a Key Skills Development programme aimed at developing transferable skills in addition to those employed in carrying out research. Training in research methods is available through frequent research seminars.

When necessary the research student can follow, in part, relevant Masters courses available within the School and in particular units on research methodology. In some cases, research students are encouraged to follow other courses available within the University or externally aimed at improving their general expertise in their chosen areas.

In addition, they may be encouraged to follow language courses aimed at improving their oral and written skills - both essential in their future careers.

Transferable skills

A research degree will equip you with many transferable skills. The self-discipline, the demand for clear analytical thinking, and the ability to turn criticism of others work into something constructive of your own, all constitute a unique training for almost any kind of career. The excitement and satisfaction of finding new facts, a new idea, or a new way of looking at something can be highly rewarding.

Attending conferences

Research students are often sponsored to attend national and international conferences and to meet leading scientists in their fields and to present their research findings. The progress of all research students is formally monitored by the University's Research Degree Committee.

Register your interest

Contact information

Course Enquiries - UK Tel:

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